


Thy Being Consumed

by Demon_Apostle



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Au Ra Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Au Ra Xaela (Final Fantasy XIV), Black Mage Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers, Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers Spoilers, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Male Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Patch 5.0: Shadowbringers Spoilers, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:21:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22652431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demon_Apostle/pseuds/Demon_Apostle
Summary: The Warrior of Light finds himself alone with light corruption slowly consuming his very being. In his final moments, he tries to remember the people he'll soon forget.
Relationships: Ardbert & Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch & Warrior of Light, Scions of the Seventh Dawn & Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing of the Final Fantasy series.
> 
> So I really, REALLY wanted to write an angsty story involving my WoL and the light corruption and this was born. Character suffering is my drug.

The first time it happens, the shock almost surpasses the amount of pain created. Amasara is hit out of nowhere by a burning in his body that feels as if it's resonating from his chest. There's a cracking in his ears that follows each wave of heat and the mage hunches forward while clutching at what he thinks is the source of the pain. Everything is white in his vision and Amasara isn't sure if it's from the immense throbbing or whatever is causing it in the first place.

As quickly as it starts, the burning is gone, and left in its wake is confusion and worry. Y'shtola had warned Amasara about how the light hadn't dissipated but was actually taken into his body, and it appears that his limit is starting to be reached. However, he can't stop now, not with one more Lightwarden waiting for him. So the Au Ra takes a steady breath, stands up straight, and decides to see this through to the end.

Unfortunately, he doesn't even completely make it through the night.

Taking the time to chat with Ardbert was refreshing, a welcome pause to all the running around Amasara's been doing since coming to the First. Even if they were just going over what happened in Amh Araeng and with Minfilia, the moment of reprieve was a welcome one. Until the burning reared its head once more and left Amasara a squirming mess on his chair.

The pain is almost nothing like the first time. The burning is more intense and lasts far longer this time. The white in his vision is even brighter and the mage hears nothing but that infernal cracking in his ears. Ardbert's voice is muffled and incomprehensible, and Amasara doesn't have the will in him to try and decipher what was said as he continues writhing and clutching at his robes. A hand grabs the table as the Au Ra tries to stand, but his legs tremble under his weight and his grip on the table is pathetic. Amasara falls back onto his chair, but all his wobbling makes him sit awkwardly to the point his body automatically tries to stand back up. The chair ends up knocked over in the process and the mage joins it on the ground when his own legs can no longer support his still burning and pulsing body. Amasara barely has the wherewithal to catch himself before he ends up face first on the floor, not registering Ardbert coming closer in concern and reaching for him. The moment they touch, something within the Au Ra seems to calm down and gain control, pushing back the burning and cracking to the point that he no longer feels like he's being ripped apart from the inside out. It's a strange moment of clarity for Amasara, but one definitely welcomed as he and Ardbert try to make sense of what just happened.

They don't get very far, not with the specter's denial and the Exarch showing up outside the mage's room. Thankfully, the pain doesn't return for the rest of the night and Amasara faces the next day with renewed determination.

Mt. Gulg ends up being the thing that crushes that new determination under its metaphorical heel once Amasara takes in the light from Vauthry. No sooner does the vision granted by his echo end does the burning and cracking return, even worse than before. The heat is so  _ intense  _ that the Au Ra can't tell if he's frozen in pain or writhing in it. Everything in his vision is far too bright and fuzzy and the only thing Amasara's mind can think about through all the heat and noise is his friends. He remembers where they were standing, so he turns towards where they should still be, but the mage doesn't get very far before he ends up on his hands and knees. His whole body aches, is nothing but pain and heat and cracking, light flooding his vision to the point he almost doesn't recognize the Exarch.

Everything from there seems to go by so fast, what with Emet-Selch's inevitable betrayal and inane invitation for Amasara after teleporting G'raha twelve only know where. The Au Ra wants to follow, wants to go after the Ascian and get his friend back, but the pain wins out and the last thing Amasara sees after he ends up face down on the ground is his friends coming closer with highly concerned expressions.

Everything is downhill from there. The light is once again flooding the sky, the threat of turning into a Lightwarden hangs over the mage's head, and worst of all, there's a nagging voice in the back of his mind saying that everyone should know. Amasara knows it wouldn't do any good to tell the people about his predicament, how he's now the reason the light has returned and continues to swallow their skies. The Au Ra should keep his mouth shut, but the longer he walks around the Crystarium, the more he desires to explain and apologize, so he heads for the gates in order to get some time to himself and think. Chances are Amasara's friends are trying to find some way to help him while coming up with a solution to getting the Exarch back, but he just can't find the will to seek them out just yet. It's all a mess to the point that the mage contemplates going into the forest and letting off some steam on whatever decides he might be a tasty snack, but he never makes it ten feet out of the Crystarium gates when a voice whispers in his ear.

"I lied." That's all Amasara hears before the world fades and a room completely made of nothing but the night sky appears before him. The Au Ra tries to look for anything that could tell him where he is, and he spots it in the form of Emet-Selch standing on the other side of the strange platform they're on. Amasara glares as harshly as he can, tempted to reach for his staff and just end the Ascian right then and there, but he needs answers. Luckily, it looks like Emet-Selch is in a giving mood.

"Oh, don't give me that look. I did say to seek me out when it all became too much, didn't I? I had assumed that you heading for the gates with that truly pathetic expression meant you had given up." The mage sneers.

"You're wrong." All the other does in response to the words is smile.

"I doubt that. After all, here you are, talking with me instead of trying to blow me to little pieces." Amasara is  _ very  _ tempted at that point to prove Emet-Selch wrong and use his most powerful spell to try and kill the Ascian, but he knows it wouldn't do any good. The Au Ra has no idea where he is and where the exit might be, so he needs to try to get as many answers as he can.

"Where have you taken me?" The other shrugs with a rather put off expression.

"By your twelve, have you already forgotten what I said? I told you to see me out in my abode when it all becomes too much to bear." Then Emet-Selch smirks again before continuing his explanation.

"Although, that's where I lied. I did say to seek me out, but I actually had no intention of waiting for you to show. Instead, I laid in wait until I was sure the hope you always so desperately clung to was all but gone." The words make Amasara stare at the Ascian in disbelief before anger has him reaching for his staff. However, the moment he grabs it, the burning returns. It doesn't last very long, but it's strong enough to make the mage drop his weapon. Amasara can only assume that it was just a brief flash of pain because of whatever it was that Ryne did, but his thoughts are interrupted by Emet-Selch laughing.

"How funny that in trying to save you, all that girl has done is prolong your suffering. I see it will take some time before her little fix is no longer useful, but no matter. I can wait for however long I need to." With that, the Ascian vanishes, leaving the Au Ra alone with his thoughts. Amasara picks up his staff and places it on his back before he walks towards one of the platform's edges. He looks around, taking in the vast, dark sky that houses nothing but himself and the stars. There's nothing to indicate an exit or even another living thing, so Amasara crosses his arms and thinks. The mage never told anyone where he was going, so he doubts his friends will manage to figure out what happened the moment they find him missing. Just to see if it works, Amasara calls out to Feo Ul, but there isn't so much as a whisper from the new king in response to his call. Wherever the Au Ra is, not even his connection to the pixie can be heard, and that's when he decides that he really can't just sit here and do nothing.

Amasara walks the entire length of the platform he's on, poking at the air around it in the hope that maybe there's some invisible walkway. Of course, he finds nothing of the sort, and it's when the mage contemplates just jumping off the edge to see what happens that the light within him flares again. This time is longer and more painful than what he felt when talking with Emet-Selch, and it solidifies the notion that Ryne's little fix is starting to fade. There's no telling how long Amasara has before he turns, and with no clear way out other than a jump he's not even sure would produce results, he sits there on the ground and thinks about his life.

The Au Ra thinks about his childhood, his time in Ul'dah, traveling Eorzea as a Scion. Amasara has battled against many foes, has toppled practically all of them, and gained many friends and allies that he would consider to be like family. Despite the people he's lost, the mage thinks he's led a rather fulfilling life for someone his age, and that's the thought he clings to when the pain hits yet again. Amasara isn't sure what it is, maybe it's the feeling that the burning is stronger, maybe it's because the cracking sounds louder, or maybe it's just a feeling in his gut that tells him this is it. Somehow, the Au Ra can tell that what Ryne did to help is no longer working, and that thought seems all the more true when he starts coughing up light. There's so much that a small puddle forms under him and Amasara has just enough sense left in his burning body to fall to his side to avoid it. The mage isn't even really sure what difference it makes if he avoids the puddle, but he doesn't have the will to think about it. Instead, Amasara thinks about everyone he knows and loves as his eyes close, the pain finally winning out.

The Au Ra thinks he might hear Emet-Selch's triumphant laughter, but the cracking drowns it out and soon, blessed silence.

~~~~~

He's floating, he thinks. Or maybe flying, he can't tell. Everything is white and stunning, almost to the point of being painful. Silence surrounds him until something breaks through. Voices? He isn't sure, and he has a small war with himself over curiosity making him check and apathy making him stay where he is. In the end, the choice is made for him as his body starts to feel heavy and the noises grow louder. His feet find purchase just as the light grows dim and he feels himself stand to his full height before his eyes open.

In front of him is a group comprised of varying individuals which tell him that he did indeed hear voices. He looks over each and every single person, feeling a sense of familiarity that he can't quite place. He feels like he should know these people, but he doesn't. He has no recollection of ever meeting these strangers, so he becomes a little confused at their looks of horror, sadness, and anger. One of them, a small girl, drops to her knees as she stares at him. The words she says aren't very loud, but he hears them nonetheless. 

"Amasara… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. I wasn't able to help and now…" Tears fall from her eyes as he contemplates what she said. He doesn't know why she's so apologetic or who she's even talking to. It might be him, but his name has been lost to him, so  _ Amasara _ has no meaning to him. The only thing that really catches his attention is the warrior comprised of light standing just behind everyone else. His face isn't like the others. There's no anger, nor horror, nor sadness. All he sees is resignation and that, for some reason, scares him. So he raises his staff and begins calling on the power inside him, watching as the group starts grabbing for their own weapons. He may have known these people once, but that doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is the single instinct dictating his actions.

The complete destruction of everything not suffused with the light. 


	2. Lightwarden Eosphoros

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So here's the piece I did depicting my WoL as a Sineater with the name Eosphoros. I can't do backgrounds to save my life and as a tribute to the fact that almost every BLM headpiece covers the wearer's eyes, I drew a blindfold.

**Author's Note:**

> I actually drew my WoL as a Sineater and even did that thing on tumblr where people plan out their WoL's attacks and mechanics. May add those as a second chapter if people want it.


End file.
